Genome-Wide Investigation of Genes in Flower Development and Environmental Acclimation of (Jack) Voigt.

(Jack) Voigt is an endangered mangrove species in China. Low fecundity and environmental pressure are supposed to be key factors limiting the population expansion of . Transcription factors with the MADS-box domain are crucial regulators of plant flower development, reproduction, and stress response. In this study, we performed a comprehensive investigation into the features and functions of genes of . Sixty-three genes with similar structure and motif composition were identified in the genome, and these genes were unevenly distributed on the 11 chromosomes. Segmental duplication was suggested to make a main contribution to the expansion of the gene family. Some genes exhibited differential expression in different flower types or in response to cold stress. Overexpression of the B-class gene had substantial effects on the flower morphology and flowering time of transgenic plants, demonstrating its key role in regulating flower morphogenesis and inflorescence. These findings largely enrich our understanding of the functional importance of genes in the inflorescence and stress acclimation of and provide valuable resources for future genetic research to improve the conservation of this species.